England's World Cup-winning allrounder Moeen Ali retires from international cricket
London, Sep 8: England allrounder Moeen Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket, continuing the changing of the guard in the English game that has also seen fast-bowling greats Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson quit the sport over the past year.
The 37-year-old Ali, who was overlooked for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia, said in an interview with British newspaper the Daily Mail that it was “time for the next generation.”
“It felt the time was right. I've done my part,” said Ali, who played 68 tests, 138 one-day internationals and 92 Twenty20 internationals for England — winning the World Cup in both of the shorter forms.
Ali, who was a role model for British Muslims, said he still feels like he can compete at the highest level, but was “trying to be realistic” about his international future.
“I could hold on and try to play for England again, but I know in reality I won't,” Ali told the Mail.
Matthew Mott was fired as head coach of England's limited-overs teams last month after disappointing title defenses in the ODI and T20 World Cups and the appetite for change continued with the removal from the squad of Ali and Jonny Bairstow — two senior players sharing over 400 caps.
Broad retired from cricket after last year's Ashes and Anderson followed suit in July during the test series against the West Indies.
The likes of spinner Shoaib Bashir and 20-year-old fast-bowler Josh Hull have been brought into the fold to help usher in a new era for English cricket across all formats.
Ali had been an influential vice-captain to Jos Buttler in the white-ball teams in recent years and was brought out of test retirement for the 2023 Ashes as a favor to captain Ben Stokes with England in need of a spinner.
Throughout it all, Ali was an extremely popular member of the England dressing room — with his cover drive his most memorable shot.
“I was a free-spirit kind of player and played on instinct a lot of the time,” he told Sky Sports.
Ali is one of only five men to take 200 wickets and score 3,000 runs in tests for England, the others being Stokes, Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff and Broad. He brought up both landmarks in successive tests in the 2023 Ashes series.
Ali said he was “especially” proud of taking 204 test wickets as well as getting five test centuries and a hat trick against South Africa.
“He would do anything the team required, probably to the hindrance of his career — he batted from No. 1 to No. 8," former England captain Alastair Cook said. “He was one of the great teammates.”
Broad described Ali as “one of my favorite ever teammates”, adding on Sky Sports: “He was someone who could make the whole changing room feel relaxed.”
Ali said he wants to continue playing franchise cricket but ultimately hopes to move into coaching.
“Coaching is something I want to do — I want to be one of the best,” he said. “I can learn a lot from (England coach Brendon McCullum)."
England hosts Australia in an eight-game white-ball tour, beginning on Wednesday with a T20 in Southampton.
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Modi govt's 'calibrated erosion' of EC's integrity: Kharge on election rule
New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at the government for tweaking an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents, alleging it is part of the Modi government's "systematic conspiracy" to destroy the institutional integrity of the Election Commission.
Kharge also said the Modi government's "calibrated erosion" of the ECI's integrity is a frontal attack on the Constitution and democracy.
The government has tweaked an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates to prevent their misuse.
Based on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Union law ministry on Friday amended Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of "papers" or documents open to public inspection.
Reacting to the development, Kharge said, "Modi government's audacious amendment in the Conduct of Election Rules is another assault in its systematic conspiracy to destroy the institutional integrity of the Election Commission of India." "Earlier, they had removed the Chief Justice of India from the Selection panel which appoints Election Commissioners, and now they have resorted to stonewall electoral information, even after a High Court order," he said in a post on X.
Everytime the Congress party wrote to the ECI, regarding specific poll irregularities such as voter deletions and lack of transparency in EVMs, the ECI has responded in a condescending tone and chosen not to even acknowledge certain serious complaints, Kharge said.
"This again proves that the ECI, even though it is a quasi-judicial body, is not behaving independently," he said.
"The Modi government's calibrated erosion of ECI's integrity is a frontal attack on the Constitution and Democracy and we will take every step to safeguard them," Kharge said.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had said the party would legally challenge the amendment.
Lok Sabha MP and Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the poll panel had chosen opacity and a pro-government attitude in its dealings thus far.
According to Rule 93, all "papers" related to elections shall be open to public inspection.
The amendment inserts "as specified in these rules" after "papers".
Law ministry and ECI officials separately explained that a court case was the "trigger" behind the amendment.
While documents such as nomination forms, appointment of election agents, results and election account statements are mentioned in the Conduct of Election Rules, electronic documents such as CCTV camera footage, webcasting footage and video recording of candidates during the Model Code of Conduct period are not covered.
"CCTV coverage, webcasting of polling stations are not carried out under Conduct of Election Rules but are the result of steps taken by the ECI to ensure a level playing field," a former ECI official explained.
